Container for flash lights and the like



May 24, 1932. B HELD 1,860,029

CONTAINER FOR FLASH LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Filed July 3, 1930 Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED ,sTArEs HELD, OF WAYZATA, MINNESOTA PATENT orrlcl:

CONTAINER FOR FLASH LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Application filed July 8, 1930. Serial No. 465,496.

This invention relates to containers or holders for flashlights-and other articles and while adapted for wide general use, is especially well suited for use in an automobile where economy of space and accessibility of' may be conveniently and easily removed for use when desired.

More specifically it is an object to provide a container of the class above described ,wherein an article having frangible parts such as a flashlight may be yieldingly held to prevent breakage and rattling of the parts and wherein means are provided fOFPQI'IIlltting a quick withdrawal of the article from the case or container and for conveniently and compactly supporting the container on a suitable su port such as the steering post of an automo ile.

' Still another ob'ect is to provide, in a con-- tainer or holder 0 the class described, means cooperating with the container proper to resiliently hold the article'therein and to further separate the interior of the container to form a space or compartment for holding separate parts, such as lamp bulbs, etc.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views,- and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the interior of an automobile body showing an embodiment of my invention supported from the steering post;

Fi 2 is a front elevation of m device with the oor closed, some portions lieing broken away to show elements within the interior of the container;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the dotted lines indicating the moved position of the flashlight handle for withdrawal from the contained, and

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line I 4-4 of Fig. 3, the dotted lines indicating the moved positions of the door and flashlight handle. v

-The embodiment of my invention illustratedin the drawings comprises a cylindrical container 0 having closed top and bottom ends 5 and 6 respectively and an elongated segmental shaped door 7 preferably extending the full height of the container and hinged by suitable hinges 8 to the container proper.

The door preferably carries a spring latch 9 which may be in the form of a curved resilient strip scoured transversely at one end to the inner surface of door 7 and having an inclined bolt 9a which is adapted to be cammed into and en age a cooperating detent or aperture 10 ormed in the adjacent edge of the doorway of theContainer. Latch memher 9 is preferably integrally formed and in cludes an outwardly projecting handle portion 96 which is disposed at the free edge of lthef door for manipulation to release the latch 1y accommodate the article to be held, which may be a flashlight and is of somewhat greater length than the article in order that a space or compartment may be formed in-the lower portion of the container for holding spare parts, such as a flashlight bulb.

Mounted on the bottom 6 of the container is a resilient member such as a bowed spring strip 11 which exerts an upward pressure against the bottom of the flashlight or article held in the container causin it to be yieldingly thrust against the top 5 0% container C.

Said resilient element 11 may have a pair of upturned holding fingers 12 disposed above the bottom 6 of the container and spaced apart to resiliently hold a small part, suchas a socket of the flashlight bulb B. It will be noted that the spring strip 11 in addition to holding the article yieldingly in the proper position divides the interior of the container to form a compartment Wheren the spare part or bulb is hel Suitable means for detachably securing the container to a supporting member, such as a post, are provided and as shown, the back of The container is of proper diameter to nicethe container has aflixed thereto a pair of down-turned hooks 13 which are aligned longitudinally of the container and which are adapted to engage beneath and be clamped I. by suitable clamping rings 14 which may surparts hinged together as in the manner shown in Fig. 4 and having out-turned clamping flanges lie at their free ends.

To facilitate removal of the flashlight or other article F from my container, I preferably provide a swingable bail or handle 16 which may conveniently be pivoted in sockets easily formed in the conventional switch plate constructed on flashlights commercially manufactured at this time.

My device may be compactly mounted on a post, arm or other support by first clamping the collars 14 in the manner illustrated in the drawings and then detachably inserting the hooks 13 between the post and hinged ends of the clamping collars. this attachment posit ioning the door of the container outwardly with respect to the post.

The door of the container may be quickly opened by pressing the latch handle 9?) and swinging the door to 'opened position. A flashlight is .inserted through the door open ing, which preferably is of from one-third to mic-half the area of the casing, the bottom of the flashlight frictionally engaging spring 11 and yieldingly forcing the upper end of the flashlight against the top of the container.

To withdraw the flashlight, which it will be noted is compactly carried adjacent and disposed longitudinally of its supporting member, the door is quickly swung open, the flashlight or other article grasped, which may be conveniently accomplished by swinging out the handle or bail 16 and the article moved laterally through the; doorway [against the frictional action of the spring.

From the foregoing description it Will be noted that the article is entirely protected from dust and moisture, when the device is closed, and is held yieldingly against vibration, rattling and breakage during the travel of an automobile and may be very quickly/ removed for use when desired. The spring which yieldingly holds the flashlight also carries tii'igers 12 for engaging the small part, such as lamp bulb B and said spring divides the interior ofthe container and prevents the article from striking the part carried.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented a new and useful improvement in containers and holders for flashlights and other articles, and one capable of being manufactured at little expense and adapted to efiiciently hold the article and relatcd parts against rattling and breakage, as well as protecting the same from the elements.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details,

proportions and arrangement of the parts,:.

without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, and in the novel parts provided with an elongated opening in the side thereof constituting a doorway and extending substantially the full height of said casing, the upper end of said casing constituting an abutment for one end of an elongated article, a resilient U-shaped element having one end anchored to the lower end of said casing and having a second or abutment arm extending in the direction of said doorway transversely of said casing and positioned above the lower edge of said doorway a door hinged to said doorway, means for retaining said door in closed position, said abutment arm dividing said casing to form a compartment in the'lower portion thereof, said com- I partment being accessible from the lower portion of said doorway and means associated with said resiiient element for holding a spare part in said compartment."

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

/ BEN HELD. 

